Strony

Wednesday, 15 January 2014

Barraquito coffee

Almost ten years ago, when I came to Spain, I couldn't just imagine a day without coffee - in a large mug with hot milk and sugar - now, I prefer tea, especially the green one - without milk and sugar:). At the beginning of my Spanish adventure, I lived in a small mountainous village in Almeria province, where I learnt a traditional way of preparing and serving coffee. From the beginning I used to drink café con leche - coffee with hot milk (more or less half and half) served in a teacup. I learnt there that café solois a shot of coffee without milk - served also in a teacup, but smaller - thatcafé cortadois a shot of coffee with a little bit of hot milk - served in a small transparent glass - and that café bombónis also a shot of coffee, but with condensed milk. I have to admit that at the beginning I was quite surprised seeing men sitting at a bar in the morning and drinking - also traditional - carajillo - coffee with a little bit of alcohol mostly rum, brandy or orujo.

In my next Spanish stop, in Canary Islands, I drank for the first time barraquito - coffee served in a transparent glass (taller then that in which café cortado is used to served) - which include a shot of coffee, hot milk, condensed milk, cinnamon, lemon zest and 43 or Tía María liquor. Simpler version of this coffee is calledcafé leche leche - coffee with hot milk and condensed milk.

Ingredients (serves 1):

1 shot of espresso

2 tablespoons condensed milk, sweet

1-2 tablespoons liquor

hot fluffy milk

a little piece of lemon zest and optionally orange zest

pinch of cinnamon

Method:

Pour condensed milk to a tall glass. Add liquor and fill in the glass with the hot fluffy milk. Pour the shot of espresso looking out not to mix the levels. Add lemon and optionally orange zest. Sprinkle with cinnamon.